Steam-separating apparatus for steam generators



I May 3,1927. 1,626,625

T. A. PEEBLES STEAM SEPARATING APPARATUS FOR STEAM GENERATORS Filed May 8 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 'r. A. PEEBLES STEAM SEPARATING APPARATUS-FOR STEAM GENERATORS Filed may a 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIELE IIII Patented May 3, 1927.

THOMAS A. PEEBLES, OE PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T 30 M. HOP- WOOD, OE DORMON'I, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-SE This invention relates to steam separating apparatus and particularly to an organized separating unit in which means are employed for ensuring the delivery of dry steam from 6 the separator.

Various types of steam separators have been suggested and utilized in connection with steam boilers but, for commercial and practical reasons, it is desirable to locate W the separator within the steam space of'the boiler. This requirement increases the dimculty of obtaining satisfactory results under all varying conditions of boiler operation.

For. example, feed water conditions are sometimes encountered which occasion undue priming and, when this takes place, it is difficult to prevent excessive amounts of water from entering the steamseparator.

If excessive amounts of water do enter the separator, it is incapable of discharging the water with suflicient rapidity and as a result the water collecting chamber becomes flooded and the separator ceases to function satisfactorily.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a unitary structure which is capable of being located within the steam space of the boiler and which will deliver dry steam from the boiler under all var ing conditions ordinarily encountered in boiler operations.

In the drawings accompanying and forma part hereof, I have illustrated what I now be ieve to be the preferred embodiment of my invention. Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the steam drum of a steam generator or boiler equipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line Iii-11 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line III I of Fig. 2; and Fig. i is a sectional view alon the line IVIV illustrating the shape an arrangement of steam directing vanes which form a detail of the particular embodiment illustrated.

As shown, the separator consists of a separatin chamber 5 which is provided with a centre ly located delivery port 6 communieating directl with the delivery passage 7 of the steam oiler. The port 6 is located adjacent to the upper end of the ob TING APPATUS FOB. STEAM GENERATORS.

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5 and, as shown is surrounded by an annular series of in ct ports which are formed between substantially uniformly spaced and inclined directing vanes 8. i

The inlet ports between the vanes 8'communicate with an annular chamber 9 which is located above them and which in turn communicate with what may be termeda dry pipe 10. As shown,-the dry pipe is divided into two sections located on opposite sides of the chamber 9 as is clearly shown in Fig. 3. The dry pipe is preferably located in the uppermost portion of the steam space and is provided on its u per side with steam admission apertures. Tie dry pipe extends horizontally in both directions from the separator 9 and is provided with steam admission apertures in the form of slots 11. These apertures are preferably located in the upper portion of the dry pipe, as far away from the water line of the boiler as possible, and are preferabl as small as they can be conveniently ma e and at the same time deliver the maximum quantity of steam which the boiler is capable of generating. It will, of course, be apparent that the size of the individual apertures 11 may be decreased in direct proportion to the number of apertures employed in the dry pipe without limiting the steam delivery capacity of the dry P P In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the steam is received by the dry pipe through the small apertures 11 from the driest portion of the steam space and then travels horizontally toward the steam delivery port of the boiler through a protected path, viz, the interior of the dry pipe. It is then received b the annular chamber 9 which is preferably enlarged somewhat so as to provide sufficient capacity to distribute the steam uniformly to the annular row of ports formed by the inclined directing vanes 8.

In the embodiment illustrated, these vanes are so arranged that they direct a substantiall uniform annular stream of steam downwar ly into the separating chamber 5 and the inclination of the blades is such'as to cause the etream to whirl at a high velocity as it passes through the separating chamber and after it is reversed in the direction of its flow while traversing the chamber. After the reversal of flow, the steam is Contracted into a solid whirling stream, as contrastedwith the annular incoming stream, and in this form passes out through the port 6 and into the steam delivery header of the boiler.

An important feature of the invention is that the steam issuing from the dry pipe must be uniformly distributed to the ports formed between the vanes 8 so as to produce a uniform whirling stream which will retain its uniformity and whirling velocity during its travel through the separating chamber. It is also essential that the directing vanes be positioned above a tangentially located water discharge port 12, with which the separating chamber is provided. and that there be such a relation between the location of the vanes 8 and this port 12 that the water collected within the separating chamber 5 will receive a high rotational velocity from the whirling stream of steam traversing the chamber, for the purpose of building up sufficient pressure to seal the port and to occasion discharge of the Water even where the discharge passages of the port 12 communicate with the interior of the boiler.

Another important feature is that the effective steam delivery area of the dry pipe should be so proportioned with relation to the areas of the ports formed between the vanes 8 that there will not only be a uniformity of steam discharge throughout this annular series of ports but also a conversion of pressure energy into velocity energy as the steam traverses the ports between the vanes 8. It will be apparent that a substantial lack of uniformity in steam distribution to the vanes 8 will disturb the balance ofthe whirling stream passing through the separating chamber and thereby impair, to a greater or lesser extent the separating action within the chamber. It will also be apparent that there must be a sufficient conversion into velocity energy to continue the whirling seal the port 12 with water to be discharged I in degree, and those which I therethrough and that this can best be assured by so coating the port that gravity will assist the delivery of water to it.

All, these features are essential, at least consider most important in connection with this invention have been provided by employing the chamber 9 between the ends of the dry pipe and by so proportioning it as to provide a substantially uniform distribution of the steam issuing from the dry pipe to the ports formed .between the vanes 8. ,It will, of course, be apparent that the form of this particular chamber may be varied and that such variations will not be material so long as the uniform distribution of steam to the inlet ports of the separating chamber is obtained.

The tangential port 12 is shown communicating with a discharge pipe 13 which may be employed when it is desirable todischarge the water from the separating chamber into an external receptacle such for example as a steam trap' 14.

While I have illustrated and described but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, substitutions, additions or omissions may be made in the apparatus illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a steam generator, means located in the'uppermost portion of the steam generator receiving steam from the uppermost portiontof the steam space of the generator and delivering it in a substantially horizontal direction towardthe steam delivery port of the generator, an annular chamber intervening between said means and the steam delivery port of the generator, a separating chamber between said annular chamber and said port, and an annular series of inclined substantially uniformly spaced vanes intervening between said annular chamber and said separating chamber for imparting a whirling velocity to the steam and for delivering it in the form of a whirling stream to said separating chamber.

2. In combination with a steam generator, a dry pipe extending along the upper portion of the steam space of the generator and toward the steam delivery port thereof, an annular chamber intervening between said dry pipe and said delivery port, and communicating with said dry pipe, a separating chamber secured to the shell of said generator and intervening between said annular chamber and said delivery port, and in communication with said port, and a series of inclined blades located between said annular chamber and said separating chamber for directing the steam issuing from said dry pipe into said separating chamber in the orm of an annular whirling stream.

3. In combination with a steam generator, steam receiving means located in the upper portion of the steam space of said generator and extending through said space towardthe steam delivery port of the'generator, a separating chamber intervening between said means and said port and having a tangential water discharge port formed therein, and an annular series of substantially uniformly spaced inclined directing vanes located above said water discharge port and between said chamber and said means for receiving steam from said am and for delivering it through said chamber in the form of a w whirling stream.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 

